


Lifeboat

by LadyoftheValley



Series: Drabbles Inspired By... [11]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anxiety metaphor, Drabble, Gen, Iwaizumi tries to help, Oikawa tries to explain, heathers inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 04:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15210509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheValley/pseuds/LadyoftheValley
Summary: Oikawa always shrouds himself in metaphors to hide his feelings behind, but Iwaizumi is always there to bring him back to reality.





	Lifeboat

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Lifeboat from the Heathers Musical

Iwaizumi found Oikawa sitting on the roof, easily accessible from his bedroom window and where he often went when he needed to rebuild one of his shattered social masks. Oikawa himself was hugging his knees and seemed to be trembling, and well, Iwaizumi had never been able to just let Oikawa be when he was like this.

He situated himself beside Oikawa, quiet for a moment as he tried to figure out if he should start or let Oikawa talk on his own terms, before finally deciding to give him a starting point, “You ran out of practice today.”

Oikawa sighed and buried his head further into his knees, arms coming up higher to hide himself more. He took a deep breath before letting it out, slow and shaky, “I know.”

Iwaizumi wondered if he needed another nudge, but then Oikawa started quietly, “I float in a boat, in a raging black ocean, low in the water with nowhere to go. The tiniest lifeboat full of people I know.”

He knew this had to be one of Oikawa’s anxiety metaphors, so he tried to follow along, “Why is everyone in this tiny lifeboat with you?” 

Oikawa shook his head, so Iwaizumi knew he'd asked the wrong question. But Oikawa continued, “Cold, clammy, and desperate, we’ll sink any minute, so someone must go.”

Here, Oikawa started shedding tears, “I have to be the captain, I have to keep order in this raging ocean. But everyone is pushing and fighting, and they're all looking at me, because the weakest must go. And if I say the wrong thing or I wear the wrong outfit, they'll push me right over the side!”

Iwaizumi's surprised, but he didn't doubt that Oikawa's mind came up with things like this, so he leaned closer, “Am I on this lifeboat?”

Oikawa sniffled and almost looked over at him, “What?”

So Iwaizumi asked again, firmer in his tone, “Am I on that lifeboat with you?”

Oikawa looked back at his knees, eyes glazed over as if seeing the fantasy his mind is supplying instead of reality, “You're safe in the middle, with no fear of going overboard.”

So Iwaizumi played along with this metaphor, leaning closer and whispering softly in Oikawa's ear, soothing but firm, commanding yet gentle, “I move to the front of the boat with you, with no fear of falling because of the pushing and fighting, and sit myself beside you.”

Oikawa shivered, but his eyes darted back and forth, “They're looking at me. One slip up and they'll toss me over.”

Iwaizumi took Oikawa's hand gently, “I take your hand, because I believe in you, and I won't let them toss you over. You're the captain for a reason. They're not looking at you with disdain, they're looking at you for guidance. No one has to go.”

For a moment, Oikawa did nothing, but then he blinked a little and seemed to come back to reality, “No one?”

Iwaizumi nodded and squeezed Oikawa's hand tighter, “No one.”


End file.
